Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), issued a stark warning after his visit to Russia’s Kursk nuclear power plant, stating that the risk of a nuclear accident in the region has escalated due to ongoing military activities.
Despite this warning, the IAEA has been notably silent on the recurring and severe threats posed to Ukraine’s nuclear sector by Russian missile strikes, raising concerns about the agency’s focus and priorities.
During his visit to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) in Kurchatov, Grossi expressed serious concerns about the facility’s vulnerability. The plant, lacking a protective dome, is situated in a region where fighting has intensified, with Ukrainian forces reportedly advancing to within 40 kilometres of the site. Grossi noted that the plant’s proximity to active conflict zones significantly increases the risk of a nuclear accident, a situation he described as “extremely serious.”
The IAEA chief’s remarks came after inspecting the plant’s Number Three reactor, which he confirmed was operating at planned capacity, and observing maintenance work on the fourth reactor. Grossi was also briefed on the construction of a new reactor block at the site.
Ongoing Attacks on Ukraine’s Nuclear Sector
Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian nuclear power plants have been repeatedly targeted by missile and drone strikes. The most recent attack on 26 August resulted in the temporary disconnection of four nuclear power units across two Ukrainian plants, creating significant instability in the national energy grid. Despite these repeated incidents, which pose a clear and present danger to nuclear safety, the IAEA’s response has been notably muted.
The Ukrainian government has reported these attacks to the IAEA, urging the agency to take a more active role in addressing the risks posed by Russia’s military actions.
“The Russian Federation continues to deliberately attack the energy infrastructure of Ukraine, with the intention of disrupting the operation of the country’s nuclear power plants, which provide the majority of electricity in Ukraine. Russian attacks pose a significant risk to the stable operation of nuclear power plants,” Ukrainian government’s letter to IAEA states.
However, the IAEA’s public communications and diplomatic efforts appear disproportionately focused on potential threats to Russian nuclear facilities, such as those in Kursk, rather than addressing the ongoing dangers to Ukraine’s nuclear sector.
Image source: IAEA.org
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